A Mother's Love
by Kristen3
Summary: Daphne feels overwhelmed by the demands of being a wife and mother, until a conversation with Niles helps her see a new perspective on her situation. Post-series one-shot. Rating is for a bit of innuendo.


**Author's Note:**Thanks to Andrea (iloveromance) for suggesting this title! *Hugs*

Daphne turned off the TV set, feeling an ache in her heart. She and Niles had just been watching the nightly news. There had been a report of a child in Seattle who'd drowned in his family's pool. Despite efforts to revive the toddler, he had been pronounced dead. Now that Daphne was a parent herself, such stories touched her in a way they never had before. "Those poor parents," she said, wiping a tear.

Niles nodded, having seen cases like this in his practice. "It's a loss some people never get over."

Daphne glanced over at the playpen where David sat. "What if that were David?"

"But we don't have a pool," Niles replied, a feeble attempt at humor.

"I look at him, and it just scares me half to death. I mean, what if something happened to him? Why, just the other day, I was straightening up in the nursery, and I found one of those bloody Matchbox cars your father insisted on giving him. I was so focused on getting everything picked up that I just tossed it into his crib without even thinking about it." When Martin had bought the toys, Daphne had been angry with him. Their small parts posed a choking hazard for an infant. "And not thirty seconds later, I turn around, and he's got it in his mouth! Of course I took it away from him on the spot, but what if I hadn't seen it?"

Niles put his arms around Daphne, seeing how upset she was. "Oh, my love, you can't torture yourself by thinking like that. What matters is that you did the right thing. I'm very proud of you." He kissed her forehead.

"But it got me thinking. David can't do anything for himself. He can't even tell us if he's frightened, or upset, or even if he's hungry. He has to depend on us for everything. It's a big responsibility." Daphne appreciated his efforts to calm her, but she was still anxious.

"Daphne, you do a wonderful job of taking care of David. I know it can be overwhelming at times, but you really shouldn't be so hard on yourself," Niles said.

"I thought I could handle taking care of a child – after all, I've taken care of your father! But a baby is so much harder. How am I supposed to know if I'm doing any of it right?" She was now fighting tears.

Niles got up, ignoring his wife's confused expression. He walked over to the playpen and lifted David out of it. He carried the baby over to Daphne, and placed him in her arms. Immediately, David let out a yawn and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. "You see that? That's how you know," Niles said.

"I don't understand," Daphne replied. Her heart melted at the peaceful look on her son's face.

"David can fall asleep in your arms because he knows that he can trust you to keep him safe. He believes in you, and so do I."

Daphne kissed him. "Thank you. I guess I was just getting meself all worked up over nothing."

"You're welcome, Daphne. And I hope you don't think you're alone in worrying about David. I don't think I could ever bear to leave for work each day, if I didn't know that our son was in the best possible hands – yours. I've never seen anyone who cares for others the way you do. That's probably why I fell in love with you right away."

Daphne smiled at him, then stood up, being careful not to wake the sleeping baby. She returned him to his playpen, softly kissing him before returning to the couch. "I love you," Daphne said, kissing her husband passionately.

Niles smiled, feeling a familiar thrill at hearing his wife say those three little words. "I know how stressful this can be. But you are an amazing mother." He grinned mischievously. "And an amazing wife."

"Thank you. I guess it's hard to feel 'amazing' when I'm up to me eyeballs in laundry and dirty dishes."

Niles kissed her. "I know I don't help you as much as I should, and I promise to do anything I can to make your life easier. You do so much to keep this place running smoothly. I know I wouldn't last a day in your shoes. I've always known what strong person you were, but I don't think I ever realized before just _how_ strong you are."

Daphne blushed. She wondered if he wasn't going a bit overboard in his praise of her. She was just an ordinary housewife. It wasn't as if she were some sort of superhero.

Niles saw the way she looked at the ground, as if she weren't quite sure she believed him. "I mean it, Daphne. Until I met you, I was the world's biggest coward. I've never had a brave bone in my body. But then I met you, and I suddenly had a reason to change. Telling you how I felt on that balcony was about the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Daphne kissed him. She felt her eyes welling up with tears, remembering that night. Leaving Donny at the altar had been difficult. But looking at where they were now, it all seemed like a lifetime ago. She winked at Niles and took his hand. Without saying a word, she led him up the stairs. Suddenly, she felt a new sense of gratitude for everything in her life, but especially Niles. She could never say 'thank you' enough for all he'd given her. But as she led him into their bedroom, she had a feeling she would be able to make him understand how she felt tonight.

**The End**


End file.
